Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Orders Swift Relief Measures Amid Floods and Bureaucratic Backlog

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah directed officials to identify and assist 2,225 flood-affected villages, ensure quick compensation for damages, and expedite the resolution of pending pension applications. Emphasizing better drought management and social security, he insisted on fast-tracking relief efforts and addressing bureaucratic delays.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that 2,225 villages and 2,038,334 residents are estimated to be impacted by floods and landslides each time. He instructed officers to identify distressed villages and apply permanent relief measures while ensuring immediate compensation as per SDRF norms for those affected by this year's rains.

The CM reviewed pending pension applications and tasked Deputy Commissioners (DCs) with clearing them within the set timeframe. Questioning the delays, he ordered DCs to reduce the processing period from 45 to 30 days. Siddaramaiah also emphasized acting compassionately in cases of farmer suicides, providing compensation without rejection for minor technicalities, and highlighted the high expenditure on renting sub-registrar offices.

Noting that 80% of Karnataka's population holds Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards compared to 40% in Tamil Nadu, Siddaramaiah advocated for cancelling ineligible BPL cards and issuing new ones to rightful beneficiaries. He stressed the need for the efficient handling of drought-prone areas and pointed out that Rs. 85 crore has already been spent on drought management with 783 crore available in the DC's PD account.

The CM reported that 225 waterlogged villages were identified due to seven percent more rainfall this monsoon, with task forces and nodal officers managing the situation. Emphasizing the importance of preventing loss of life, Siddaramaiah instructed the formation of task forces in rain-prone areas and the relocation of people to safer places. A total of 293 TMC of water is stored across all reservoirs due to good rainfall, but 3,714 houses have been damaged already this pre-monsoon season, necessitating immediate compensation under SDRF norms.

Siddaramaiah mandated close coordination with the Meteorological Department and expediting pending social security applications. He highlighted Karnataka's leading pension provision for 76 lakh people and urged timely resolution of 2 lakh NPCI mapping cases. Immediate action to terminate pensions post-pensioner death was also instructed.

Expressing dissatisfaction with delays in compensating farmer suicide cases, he noted that 994 families have received compensation out of 1,003 verified cases, with current efforts accelerating the process. The CM announced plans for farmers' meetings to build awareness and confidence. Additionally, he instructed the collection of outstanding royalty from undervalued land registrations, revealing 24,519 pending cases amounting to Rs 310 crore.

In conclusion, Siddaramaiah called for swift recovery of pending royalties, emphasizing the necessity for rapid action across various relief and administrative tasks.

(With inputs from agencies.)